The Aftermath
by ShionShirosaki
Summary: [Sequel to Shattered] AU, GRIMMICHI, ANGST: "Ichigo, you've changed..."
1. The past and the present

**The Aftermath**

**[Sequel to Shattered] "Ichigo, you've changed."**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 3

**Warning:** ...Swearing, Yaoi, angst...

**A/N**: I'm glad to know that you liked the writing style! ^^ I also apologize for the late update… I admit, I ran into Mr. Writer's Block and… you know… things happened. Anyway, here it is :)

…

_We shall take a closer look at the past… before moving on to the present…_

* * *

**"THE PAST AND THE PRESENT"**

* * *

…

**"Ichigo, you've changed."**

…

_The sentence itself was like a bullet._

_It can just lay there untouched, leaving everybody unscathed and unhurt._

_Or it could fly right at you, aiming towards your heart, bringing just about anguish and agony._

_Seriously, of all places… why was it aimed at me?_

_I didn't know if I should be aggravated by the fact that it chose to hit me, or if I should cry out in despair from the damage it dealt._

_Either way, it didn't bid well for my sanity._

…

I was driven into a corner, scared shitless from the endless possibilities of the aftermath of my reckless confession.

And to be completely honest, I knew from the start that forgetting about him wasn't that easy.

I knew that I _will_ change.

It was, sadly enough, unavoidable.

Having yourself feeling betrayed after cutting and severing all ties from your best friend and rival, I couldn't really insist that I would leave unhurt; _unchanged._

Thus, I _changed_.

I became more distant, more… _forced_.

Instead of my usual scowl, a mask which smiled was created.

And I could clearly tell that it wasn't fooling my friends.

They knew me too well to just shrug my odd behaviors off as some of my regular unusual antics.

I became colder in an almost contradicting way.

I still cared for my friends, of course. But it wasn't the same anymore.

I smiled outside, yet I was forced to be strong inside.

The worried gazes that rains upon me just threaten to shatter the barrier I have made.

_I simply thought it was easy._

_Easy to move on…_

_…Easy to forget about __**him**__._

_But as it turns out, it __**wasn't.**_

…

…

One would ask;

'_Why are you making that incident-of-a-confession a big deal when it was a complete __**failure**__?_'

Oh, hey, don't be rash now.

My world, as much as I hate to admit this fact, have revolved around him for **3 fucking years** and you expect me to just shrug it off?

_That's 3 years of my goddamn life!_

I wasted three years of my life for him! HIM of all people!

How the fuck can I **not** give a shit?!

…_I cared!_

…

* * *

The students of Karakura High have indeed noticed the sudden change that a certain Ichigo Kurosaki showed. They couldn't put their finger on it, but whatever it was, it made them feel sympathy towards him. But you see, as far as they knew, the orange haired teenager _loathed_ sympathy. _Especially _if it's directed towards him. Thus, they were forced to watch him helplessly, silently keeping it to themselves that they, too, have noticed that he has changed.

Imagine their surprise after two weeks of absence when a certain orange haired teenager suddenly appeared, looking so forced and so tired that they were tempted to just support his frail-looking body which they had feared for some time now. He looked so weak, so vulnerable… So… _defeated. _They could never believe it when the usual fiery delinquent never talked after his reappearance.

…But that wasn't all.

Aside from his odd behaviors, there stood the fact that he seemingly '**doesn't remember the person named Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez'**. No anything. They have noticed this at the very first day of reappearance of Ichigo.

Thus, they wondered.

**_What happened to the Kurosaki Ichigo they knew?_**

* * *

_To be continued ^^_

_A/N: I must admit though… the sequel seems pretty messed up…_

_…Don't worry, it'll be explained soooooon enough... ^W^ _


	2. THE EXPLANATION

** The Aftermath**

**[Sequel to Shattered] "Ichigo, you've changed."**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own :3

**Warning:** ...Cliffhangers?

**A/N: **YEEEYYY! 3 REVIEEEWSS!~ THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! :)

**Important:** So, um, this will kind of be like my first time writing in Rukia's –_A GIRL'S_- P.O.V.. Well, I have no arguments about that but I was simply too used to writing in a boy's P.O.V or third person... T_T So, please bear with me, okay?

* * *

**"THE EXPLANATION"**

* * *

Ichigo Kurosaki is practically a brutal, challenging, violent delinquent who follows his instincts when it comes to _everything._ He is rash, straight forward, and somehow blunt. But, he extremely cared for his friends. He was strong, yet he was kind. He does everything he can to help if he can. He… is _Ichigo Kurosaki._

I can still remember the 'two weeks of confinement' he went through. He was, to say, trying his very best to forget about him. He was strong, so we believed in him. As his friends, we also did our very best to support him.

_But everything ended 3 days after the first week of confinement._

The memory was embedded in our minds.

A frightening memory that no one wished to remember.

It all began on the last day of the first week. Ichigo was his usual self, engaging himself in a heated rivalry against Renji who welcomed it. I couldn't even remember about what their argument was about, all I knew that everything was going smoothly. Ichigo was recovering, and we met it with our own smiles. However, we took no notice of his eyes.

_Those eyes which seemed to be losing its fire._

_How we wished we saw those as early as possible to have stopped the __**incident.**_

After that day, we promised to visit him whenever we had the time. He merely scowled and said: 'Focus on your studies; I don't want you to drop your grades just because I'm a burden.'

It was a thing that Ichigo was likely to say. I can't help but smile at that.

_But I wished that he could still say the same words._

_The same words and the same thing the real Ichigo says and does._

On the first day of the second week, we _still_ didn't notice it. Usual routine, usual things. But we never saw how unusual Ichigo seemed.

The next day, we _finally_ began to notice it.

He became more independent. He does things on his own, even if he can't. He doesn't like anybody invading his personal bubble and that greatly… displeased us. He was _healing, dammit!_ Then out of nowhere, you just see him _breaking_ all over again! I don't want to see those lifeless eyes again, especially on Ichigo!

…

Then realization slowly stomped us to our core.

_'The realization of the futility that he can __**never**__ bring himself to forget about him.'_

Renji, being the 'not-so-brightest-light-bulb' out there, said the thing we forced ourselves not to say.

**"Ichigo, you've changed." [*Found in the First Chapter]**

Thoughts, expressions, feelings… every single things of it passed through Ichigo's hazel colored eyes.

And I found myself hurting.

He bit his lip and then he nodded with a strained smile. Slowly, he turned around and walked away. All of us knew, without having to hear him say it, that he was _suffering_. As much as we would like to just knock on his door –or in the boys' case, destroy it-, we couldn't.

Because if we did…

…the bond known as friendship would break.

So we left his house with our sincerest apologies to Isshin-san, Ichigo's father, and went home. (Not, of course, without having Renji receive FIVE slaps on his face and a kick in the nuts)

…

…

…

**Then the following day, the dreadful incident happened.**

**The incident which eliminated the Ichigo Kurosaki we knew.**

**The incident, that destroyed all the bonds, all the ties, we had…**

**…with him.**

* * *

**_To be continued…_**

* * *

**_IMPORTANT: So, you remember when Renji said the line "You've changed" in this chapter? That's where the first chapter began in Ichigo's P.O.V._**

* * *

**A/N:** SO, I'M GUESSING YOU KNOW WHERE THIS IS HEADED, RIGHT? *sniffs*


	3. THE INCIDENT

**The Aftermath**

**[Sequel to Shattered] "Ichigo, you've changed."**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own :3

**Warning:** ...I'm evil. –WAIT, WHAT?

**A/N: I have come to a decision, to finally reply to your awesome reviews! W**

Hollow Ichigo-Ichigo : *nods head eagerly* Yes, yes..poor Ichi indeed… Oh, and you'll have your answers** soon**... ;)

NorthernShinigami : YES I DO! FOR VENGEANCE! *insert evil laugh*

LenKiryuu : OHMYGAWD… Thank you very much! I'll be making sure that you will know…_soon…_ *evil authoress laugh that promises doom and cliff hangers*

Guest : *blushes* O/O T-thank you! Oh, and for the grammatical errors *thank you for this too* I really meant it that way… You can picture Rukia just talking about Ichigo… describing how Ichigo-like, Ichigo Kurosaki is… –don't mind me, I know it made no sense- So, yeah, you could say it goes after the First Chapter's title: "The Past and the Present" :)

p.s: I know how you feel about typing or reviewing with the phone T_T

**Important:**Thanks to Guest-san who pointed out the present-and-past-tense-issues, I wanted to say this… :D Everything would be based on past tense since the original timeline is AFTER the 2 weeks confinement. ^W^

* * *

**"THE INCIDENT"**

* * *

It was around 8:00 P.M when the incident happened. Surely enough, as Ichigo Kurosaki's friends have promised, they did return to visit again with Renji literally on his knees, apologizing –courtesy of one certain Kuchiki Rukia-. Anyway, their visit that night was welcome.

…or so they thought.

When they entered their friend's house, nothing seemed out of place. Isshin had told them that Ichigo was in his room, resting.

But that was already the warning signal that something bad was bound to happen.

…

…

**=7:51 P.M=**

It was dark.

Ichigo was there, merely staring out the window, seemingly lifeless from his loose posture. His expression was impassive, and had his eyes been closed, people would think he was sleeping.

...Sleeping peacefully.

Almost resigned.

Like… defeated.

He knew, of course. He, of all people… _should_ know. No matter what he did, he can't forget. But that doesn't change the fact that he was determined to begin a new life.

And the only option left is for him to _change_.

He also noticed that after feeling betrayed, things don't feel the same again. You could feel insulted, provoked and hurt by the smallest things. So, at the end, he had decided to talk less, resulting to the isolating-aura he is releasing.

He sighed.

He really wished it didn't come to this but it was just utterly inevitable.

**=7:55 P.M=**

"Ichigo!" The orange haired teenager heard his father yell from downstairs over the noise of the television. "Your friends are here!"

Instinctively, he froze.

He didn't know.

He simply doesn't know what to do.

But before he even had the chance to think of even _blinking_, someone knocked on his door.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue hesitantly called out to him from the other side of the door.

_No chance, I guess._

"I'm here." He replied, hoping it didn't sound too strange. "We're coming in, Kurosaki." Ishida said, pushing the door open slowly.

"Yo." Ichigo greeted.

The group of five which consisted of Sado Yasutora, Inoue Orihime, Ishida Uryuu, Rukia Kuchiki and Abarai Renji came in with their own greetings. And as immediately as they came in, the black haired teenager hit the area behind Renji's knees, making him squat awkwardly. Rukia continued the uncalled assault as she hit his shoulder, pushing the red head down, resulting to a certain red head kneeling in front of a bewildered orange head.

**"Apologize."**

She commanded as she crossed her arms. At the sideline, Ishida and Inoue desperately tried to silence their laughter. Sado, too, watched the scene unfold with silent amusement.

"Why-OW! OW! OW! I GET IT, OUCH, STOP PINCHING ME!" Renji screamed, seeing the urgent need to shove those evil-pinching fingers away from his cheek. The youngest Kuchiki sibling did as the red haired teenager has told her and sighed.

"I'm sorry." Renji said.

Though he might not look _that_ apologetic, at least they caught the sincerity in his apology. Ichigo smiled, albeit a little strained, before looking at Rukia with a rather… 'should-I-be-thankful-that-you're-my-friend-or-not-look'. Rukia merely gave her reply with her own determined gaze that said 'you-**should**-be'.

The orange haired teenager shook his head before he invited his friends downstairs for a short meal that his younger sister had prepared for them.

**=7:59 P.M=**

The small circle of friends sat in the living room, each eating their own snacks as Rukia switched the channel into a cartoon that was all about rabbits and pink frilly ribbons which secretly horrified the boys.

Of course, out of fear, no one interfered with her business.

They all engaged in their own activities with one certain orange haired teenager gazing out of the window, dazed by the darkness of the sky.

_No one noticed this, of course._

"Oh, yeah… Ichigo, how are your injuries?" Ishida asked out of concern, his fingers nudging his eyeglasses above the bridge of his nose. Ichigo's eyes darkened before he replied curtly with a: "It's fine." Everyone had to drop the topic because they knew it could lead to something much more dangerous.

_And of-fucking-course, Renji hadn't learned his lesson._

"Hey, Ichigo, what are you going to do about your partnership with him? In the school activities, I mean.." The rest of the occupants of the room turned a glare that could traumatize any soldier within one second flat to Renji who cowered away after having realization fall on him so hard that he literally fell of his chair.

…

"…Why do you keep on bringing him up?"

The 15 year old teenager asked menacingly, staring at all of his friends accurately.

Everyone felt a chill _literally_ run down their spines as Ichigo's usually fiery gaze bore them with its lack of life.

"WHY THE FUCK DO YOU KEEP ON BRINGING HIM UP WHEN I'M DESPERATELY TRYING NOT TO?!"

He snapped.

They watched.

They knew that from the very beginning, Ichigo never had the chance to just break down and cry. He never had the chance to get mad about the unfairness he felt. They just watched him hold it, suffering from the expanse of the pain he held.

"**TELL ME!"** He screamed, standing up.

Due to being Ichigo's best friends, they knew well that he could be very hasty and reckless whenever he was mad.

_And that recklessness would be the cause of their loss._

…

…

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED.**


	4. RECKLESSNESS

**The Aftermath**

**[Sequel to Shattered] "Ichigo, you've changed."**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own :3

**Warning:** ...The author has escaped a mental institution and is currently watching her school bag burn with glee. The author of this fanfic is also _evil_.

**A/N: So, I saw the reviews… and…**

**OHMYFREAKINGGAWDOHMYFUGGINGGAAWDOHMYFRIGINGGERD! I LOVE YOU!**

**…*clears throat***

**Anyway, uh… *smiles sheepishly* **

kurie-tibiti : Arigatou! *bows head until it reached the ground* ^^"

tokikokurosaki: I'm evil, I know. :3 Oh and here's the update you've been asking for~ You're welcome! :) Thank you, too! ^W^

Hollow Ichigo-Ichigo : Grimmy will _definitely _see how douche-y he is to Ichi. T^T

jusa18: T_T Ohmygawd. Your words are making me feel so guilty for what I'm about to do… *goes to emo corner and burns herself* (Thank you though! :D)

LenKiryuu: *stabs herself to death* I'm mean, I'm mean, I'm mean… T^T" (Aww, thank you! :3)

P.S: Please forgive me for the bunch of insanity that is positioned above. *looks at my own replies* I admit, I must take my own medication. ASAP.

…

…

_Have you been so reckless in your life that this recklessness turned into your biggest regret?_

…

…

* * *

**"RECKLESSNESS"**

* * *

…

**=7:59PM=**

The silence of the night was broken as Ichigo's screams resonated within the area of his residence as he exited his house in pure rage.

His friends were doing _everything _they can to calm him; to _stop_ him.

Yet they just couldn't bring themselves to yell back at him to snap out of it.

The words he was saying were more than just words.

They were his feelings.

_His real feelings._

The feelings he had never been able to express from the very beginning…

The feelings that he had kept inside to himself…

The feelings that he was forced to keep away…

…

_He was pouring them all out now._

_…_

And they all knew that-

… _it was his entire fault_

_…._

**Grimmjow Jaegerjaques's fault.**

...

…

_As they try to stop the flow of rage,_

_they had never noticed the light._

_The path of light that wasn't obligated to bring hope,_

_but the path of light that was destined to bring despair._

_It was directed towards the one who broke his own heart,_

_the one who helplessly fell into convalescence._

_And yet they knew nothing,_

_of this path of light heading towards their friend._

_Words were screamed, tears had fallen..._

_And still, they knew nothing of the path of light's existence._

_But what they did see,_

_was the pool of regrets that fell over their own shoulders._

_As heavy as a burden, _

_as complicated as a labyrinth_

_They felt regret as they saw him fall…_

_-Falling into a world full of darkness,_

_falling into the world of unconsciousness._

_…_

_…_

**They watched him leave their side as the path of light led him towards his own destruction.**

…

...

_The honking of the truck's horn and its blinding light had caught them in a moment of hysteria as they witnessed how their orange haired friend get hit and run over with no sense of any sympathy by the truck which lost its control over its own direction. _

_…_

**_"ICHIGO!"_**

**_…_**

_The blood curdling scream echoed and resonated hollowly in the cold night as blood pooled around Ichigo Kurosaki's tattered and gravely injured body as it laid helplessly on the cold ground._

_…_

_…_

_…_

_They had lost him._

_No, they couldn't take it anymore._

_They had seen him cry._

_They had seen his vulnerable side._

_They had seen him defeated._

_They had seen him, broken._

_Now, they see him die._

…

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

**A/N: Did I do well? Did I? DID I?**

**OHMYGERD MAYBE I DIDN'T! *cries***


	5. THE DEATH

**The Aftermath**

**[Sequel to Shattered] "Ichigo, you've changed."**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own :3

**Warning: **From the prequel to sequel, you should know how evil the authoress should be, right? :3

**A/N: ***completely serious face* On the very day I have posted "RECKLESSNESS", no one reviewed... And I feared that you didn't like it... *sniffs* And then, I waited for a few more hours...

-then, poof!

REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS!

Always remember that reviews fuel my hands to type =w=. (the dot beside the emoticon is real, I have a mole right beside my left eye)

jusa18: Ahaha... I feel you, bro. Seriously, I wonder why I'm even so attached to angst. ._. Oh and of course Grimmy-chan _has_ to say something. Or rather, do something.

Hollow Ichigo-Ichigo: *cries with you* T^T.

LenKiryuu: *chants to herself* They hate me, they hate me, they hate me... *cries* (Here's the update! ^^.)

m.s: ...Your review said _everything. _*looks back at her fanfic*_ OHMYGAWD WHAT HAVE I DONE?!_

Anonymous: Actually, that was the original plan. ^^." But, at the end, I decided against it. ( ._.) *mumbles to herself* Why didn't I do it again?

Anon: That's actually a very good idea. o3o. B- but... the chapter was already planned... G-gomenasai... T^T

...

...

* * *

**"THE DEATH"**

* * *

...

...

_Rukia Kuchiki immediately called the attention of the nearest hospital in order to save Ichigo Kurosaki who seemed too pale to be alive. _

_They didn't give up._

_If there was a chance, then they will go after it even if they had to sacrifice themselves._

_..._

_They owed him._

_Without Ichigo to tie their fates together, they would probably be somewhere else, breaking themselves._

_They owed him their lives._

_And now that he is in need of help, they will do everything they can to repay the debt._

_..._

**Guilt.**

That was what they felt.

Nothing but guilt.

It wasn't only Grimmjow's fault.

_It was also their fault._

The help they offered wasn't enough.

Had they realized sooner...

...they would have prevented the incident.

...

...

Isshin Kurosaki along with his two other daughters ran to the hospital which was 20 minutes away from where they lived. A solemn expression befell the usually goofy father's face, his mind fighting to keep its rationality and composure in tact.

_His son was in danger of dying, _he thought.

_I have already lost Masaki... I can't loose Ichigo, too._ He reminded himself, jaw clenching at the mere thought of seeing his son's grave.

**It looked so wrong.**

**Just so wrong.**

**His son, in a grave? **

**No.**

**He can't let that happen.**

Eyes burning with resolve, he quickened his pace and entered the hospital with the aura of a soldier; determined to protect the nation -in this case, his son- from any potent danger.

As he entered the hospital, he calmly yet quickly asked for the room where his son had been placed in. When the answer was given, he wasted no time smacking the elevator's buttons with a burning desire to see his son's scowl again. Or maybe a smile might be a tad better... but you know how Ichigo is.

When he arrived in front of the designated room, he was greeted by the sight of his son's friends inwardly killing themselves through different methods.

_Guess I didn't have to torture them mentally when they're doing the job themselves quite beautifully._

"How's the situation?" He inquired.

His words seemed to slap everyone in their faces. Everyone literally jumped, shocked out into another dimension as they realized that Ichigo's _father_ stood before them. They all made a move to bow down and apologize when Isshin asked again:

"_How_ is the damn situation?"

The tone of frustration applied on his question shocked even himself. He hadn't intended to snap but the pressure was getting to him so he knew that he _had_ to have answers to calm his panic attack. "W-we have no idea ourselves, sir." Rukia politely answered, her usually strong gaze wavering.

Isshin sighed.

Although not clearly said, Isshin felt guilty too. If anything, it was _his_ responsibility as the father to somehow have done something. During that night, he, along with Yuzu and Karin, went out for a short walk in the park as he thought that, well, maybe... maybe his son needed some alone time with his friends.

_What a great misconception... _He thought.

They all jumped, however, when a voice called out to them.

"I have come to fill in your questions with answers regarding Ichigo Kurosaki's situation." The doctor who had the name tag 'Genryusai Yamamoto' stated in a tone that all but says 'I'm a professional doctor'. Isshin nodded in a silent greeting.

What happened next bewildered everyone.

"How is he?" They all asked in unison.

Yamamoto-sensei seemed to clear his throat before replying in the most serious manner.

"He's alive."

...

Silence.

His tone suggested that the news wasn't over.

His tone, too, told them that it wasn't something that is to be rejoiced over.

...

...

He took in a deep breath and sighed.

_"He's alive, yet he is dead."_

...

...

"W... w-what do you mean?!" Karin yelled.

...

...

_"He's alive, yet he is dead."_

He repeated.

_"The Ichigo Kurosaki you are to face isn't the same person anymore. He had lost his memories."_

...

...

...

**Memories...**

**Lost?**

**Dead? **

**Alive? **

**Ichigo is...**

**-gone?**

...

Yuzu screamed.

...

_**"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

_**...**_

* * *

To be continued...


	6. SILENCE

**The Aftermath**

**[Sequel to Shattered] "Ichigo, you've changed."**

**Disclaimer:** I don-... *sigh*

**Warning: **BEWARE OF THE AUTHORESS! ... ( ._.) No, seriously.

**A/N: **That was fast! OwO. Well, here comes the next part =W=

Hollow Ichigo-Ichigo : *rubs head sheepishly* ..Uh, yeah.. _Amnesia.. _(._.) Is it bad? T^T Should I have killed him instead? *blinks innocently* Yeah, maybe I should have. ^W^

cccccCc : *sings loudly* GRIMMJOOW IS ON FIRRREEEE! HE'S WALKING ON FIREEEEEEE~! *gets killed by neighbors* *thumbs-up*

jusa18: Oh gawd. I simply love your ideas... OWO THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK-*gets killed by neighbors, _again_*

LenKiryuu : He **will **be making an appearance soon. *evil laugh* Dammit, he should die. *mumbles to herself about how douche-y Grimm-chan is*

Chappy: Oh, he shall.. :3 *evil authoress laugh* Grimmy is a douche. No wait, _he's not! _I made him one! *cries*

Grimmichixx: So many people requesting for his appearance just like how I wish he shall appear in the manga... T^T Don't worry, the douche-y Grimmy-walkin-on-fire shall make his appearance!

Ichixx: *blinks* Is it... *looks at Grimmichixx* ...A c-coincidence, right? OwO Oh, well. Grimmy will receive his punishment... He deserves it. 3 Thank you!:)

kurie-tibiti: Arigatou! You're welcome! Here comes another one! :D

...

...

_If you think that having been rejected, broken, betrayed, hurt and hit by a truck which erased all his memories is enough for a person who could take no more... well, tell me that again after reading this chapter. (Oh gawd, everyone would hate me for this *cries*)_

...

* * *

**"SILENCE"**

* * *

...

The students of Karakura High watched with sheer bewilderment as the usually fiery delinquent made his way inside the school with a rather... _different _and _unusual _aura that seemed to bother everyone within the area. He didn't make any action-movie-like appearances where he comes in while giving a flying kick to someone nor did he come in while arguing with Grimmjow Jaegerjaques.

And as if that wasn't enough, the fact that his friends were guarding him like some sort of treasure underneath the most sacred ground didn't help removing their curiosity either.

Each of his friends appeared to be exhausted and tired, eyes drooping low. They also noticed that the girls seemed to have cried for hours, if their red eyes weren't any indication.

They, too, noticed...

Kurosaki Ichigo's posture wasn't that of the usual delinquent they knew who just about kicks anyone in their faces when he's pissed off.

It was the posture of an average teenager.

Relaxed.

Calm.

Serene.

...

_Something was wrong..._

...

...

As the bell rung to signify the beginning of classes for that day, everyone watched as the usually boisterous group made their way towards their classroom silently_._ It was seriously bothering them. But there was just_ something_ that told them that they shouldn't try asking.

"Oh, hello, Kurosaki. How are you?" Their teacher, Misato Ochi, asked gleefully as she watched her students enter the classroom.

Ishida Uryuu bit his lip before approaching their teacher with a determined yet sad expression.

He whispered something before Misato stiffened.

...

Her eyes narrowed and she quietly said:

**"Let's take this to the faculty, shall we?"**

Everyone flinched as they heard the sharpness in her statement.

Misato's usually cheerful demeanor changed to that of a parent facing a crisis. She called Ichigo, Inoue, Rukia, Sado and Ishida to the faculty for a short meeting with Ichigo's subject teachers. Everyone now felt weary, their faces pale and hands balled into tight fists.

...

...

_Yes, something was definitely_ _going on, _they had thought.

...

...

15 minutes later, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques entered the room with his usual scowl. He immediately took notice of the eerie silence that befell the whole school.

His eyes roamed over the classroom.

Then, he frowned.

"What'd I miss?" He asked loudly, voice hoarse.

Keigo Asano, one of Ichigo's friends, piped up, his goofy face turning into that of a worried friend -which in this case, is quite literal-.

...

"One thing."

...

Grimmjow's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed.

...

_He immediately knew._

...**Ichigo is back****.**

...

...

"Ma'am, what do you suggest we do?" Rukia asked, voice calm and gaze sharp.

...

Misato took a deep breath and sighed.

...

"What do_ you_ suggest _we_ do?" She asked back as she readjusted her glasses.

...

Ishida took a short glance at Ichigo who sat beside Inoue.

...

"Not only had he lost his memories..." Inoue whispered.

...

Sado's eyes which usually held warmth turned a tad bit colder.

...

"He, too, refuses to talk." Ishida finished.

...

Renji shook his head in dismay.

**"It's not that he _refuses_ to. **

**It's that he _can't_.**

** He lost the ability to."**

He muttered.

Beside them, Ichigo remembered the words Yamamoto-sensei told him and his father. He doesn't remember anything, but with the help of these people -who told him that they were his friends- he was catching up with reality.

_'Though he might have lost his memories, it doesn't end there. He also sustains a large scar on his chest which could possibly be permanent. Also, considering the position he was in when his body collided with the truck, he might loose his ability to speak temporarily. Though I fear that this 'temporarily' has the potential turn into 'permanently'. I apologize, but we have done everything we can to save your son's life. And there were some prices that had to be paid.'_

_..._

His right hand hovered above the left part of his chest and he wondered.

_It is a scar. But why do I feel that this pain I'm feeling isn't coming from the scar but my heart?_

...

...

To be continued.

* * *

**A/N: **The mystery of Chapter One -if you do have the time, please reread Chapter One for better understanding(?)- has been solved.. Now all that's left is to torture- I mean, make Grimmjow appear. =w=.


	7. STAY AWAY

**The Aftermath**

**[Sequel to Shattered] "Ichigo, you've changed."**

**Disclaimer:** *stares* ...You're not expecting me to say that I own them, now do you? .-.

**Warning: **The usual =w=.

**A/N: **Reviews equals updates.. o3o

Purp-lex16754: It had to end there.. TT^TT [belated ^_^"] Happy New Year tooooo!~ Arigatouu! :D

Grimmichixx: Don't worry, there'll be lots of Grimmy this time.. *cue evil laugh* Thank you and you're welcome! ^^.

Chappy: Ohohoho... :3 Your idea is not pretty bad...

Grimmykun : ^_^" G-gomen if it's short... But I'll try to update faster :3 Thank you!

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Hime-chan : Arigatou! Here's the update =)

tokikokurosaki : *reads reviews over and over again* O_O You're weird. I like weird. X3 XD Thank you!

...

...

_When you loose someone, you become aware as to how much you lost once they're gone._

...

...

* * *

**"STAY AWAY"**

* * *

Inoue worriedly glanced inside the classroom, her hands tightening above her chest.

Right behind her, Rukia was also frozen in shock, eyes wider than a truck's tyre.

Sado might appear to be normal, but beneath those dark brown locks, his eyes dilated.

Ishida's expression was the epitome of the words "WE'RE FUCKED."

...

Before they left the faculty, Ichigo uncharacteristically excused himself to the comfort room, a smile present on his usually scowling face.

Their heart clenched as they saw him gesture towards the door to ask them if he could, seeing as to how he cannot talk.

Rukia nodded to allow him, and they watched him go after giving him the direction towards the comfort room.

...

_But right now, they wish they had not allowed him._

_..._

As they stood in front of the whole class, they noticed that save for their own seats, there was one more chair that was vacant.

...

**His** seat.

...

"H-hey..." Inoue shakily breathed out to Mizuiro, another one of their friends.

"Hm?" Said teenager hummed with a polite smile.

"...Where did _he_ go?" She asked, pointing a trembling finger towards _his_ seat.

"Oh, Grimmjow-san? He said he'll be going to the comfort room for a bit."

...

...

_**Shit.**_

...

...

Before anyone could even register that a dove just flew right inside the classroom, the 4 were out of the classroom upon hearing the answer.

...

...

Ichigo slowly strode through the hallways, following the directions that Rukia told him.

As he walked inside the comfort room, he bumped into a wall.

"FUCK!"

...Well, okay, nope.

Definitely _not_ a wall.

He -without looking at the 'wall'- mouthed 'sorry' as he bowed slightly before continuing his short journey-

-only to be stopped by a painful grip on his right arm.

He winced, feeling the strong grip tighten even more.

"I thought I told you not to show yourself in front of me?" The voice was laced with anger and ill intent and... had Ichigo been more knowledgeable about human iteraction, he'd say that there was a tinge of familiarity within the statement.

He looked up and blinked.

Teal blue.

He couldn't stop himself for thinking how unusual and odd it is to have your _hair _dyed _blue_ in high school... -though he guessed the color was natural-

But then again, there are stupid people out there so...

It was completely normal, he'd guess. If his orange hair isn't anything to go by.

For some reason, seeing the unusual color of blue with this person angered Ichigo.

_Oh how he wished he knew._

Ichigo frowned -not the usual frown, though- and mouthed again.

'I told you I'm sorry.'

Then, he pulled his arm away from the 'stranger', inwardly asking himeslf why he didn't even think of what the guy said.

For all he knew, maybe he _had_ known the guy, judging by how he talked to him but...

Nah, too bothersome to bother.

He continued to walk.

...

Then suddenly, he felt his arms being raised above his head and something warm pressing flat against his back as he was roughly shoved on the wall.

His eye twitched.

..._This oddly seems like..._

_a...**rape** scene._

'Fuck, I can't scream. And I don't know anything.' He thought, squirming against the rough hold.

"Kurosaki, stop kidding with me." Ichigo heard the stranger say as he felt his wrist being scratched by blunt nails and he knew it was bruising from the tight hold.

_"Stay away from me, or I'll kill you. I believe I told ya that." _Ichigo hear him say.

Right then and there, he had never been so thankful that he caught a glimpse of orange, black, brown and dark blue altogether.

"Ichigo!"

"Kurosaki-kun!"

"Kurosaki!"

His body moved with nothing but instinct in mind, knocking the blue haired stranger away from him.

Inoue ran in front of them and for the first time in Grimmjow's life, he saw her glare.

"HE DOESN'T KNOW YOU SO _YOU_ STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"

Sado quietly supported Ichigo and both Rukia and Ishida settled for glaring at Grimmjow with an intensity that could put Hell into shame.

"You're not his friend and we'd rather have it stay that way." Rukia coolly stated, resisting the urge to smash Grimmjow's head in the sink.

"So as Inoue-san have said.." Ishida continued, standing straighter.

...

**"Stay away from him."**

...

...

And all together, they went back to their classroom with one brainwashed orange haired teenager.

...

**To be continued...**


End file.
